Bilingual Text4Walking Food Service Employee Intervention Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Workplace health promotion
• Behavioral science
• Public health interventions

Background:

• Many US adults do not meet recommended aerobic activity levels.
• Workplace interventions are increasingly used to promote physical activity.
• Mobile technology, like text messaging, offers accessible avenues for health promotion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a bilingual Text4Walking intervention in a workplace.
• To evaluate the intervention's impact on physical activity and health in food service employees.
• To determine changes in daily steps and aerobic fitness.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week, 1-group pre- and posttest design was employed.
• Motivational text messages (English/Spanish) and calls were delivered weekly.
• The study targeted sedentary food service employees aiming for a 3000-step increase.

Main Results:

• A 100% retention rate was achieved with 33 participants.
• Daily walking minutes increased significantly from 102 to 182.
• Mean daily steps rose from 10,416 to 12,540, with improved aerobic fitness.

Conclusions:

• The Text4Walking intervention was feasible in a workplace setting.
• Significant improvements in physical activity and aerobic fitness were observed.
• Further research in larger, sedentary samples over longer periods is recommended.